Another Kind of Bond-Girl
by TapTapAlways
Summary: Bond is always the seductive charmer, isn't he, and he always gets his woman, maybe even his man. But maybe just once, it is not quite as easy as complete surrender at the first glance?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

 _Bond is always the seductive charmer, isn't he, and he always gets his woman, maybe even his man. But maybe just once, it is not quite as easy as complete surrender at the first glance?_

 _Warnings for themes of family bullying and mentions of very dark themes, later in the story, as in them literally being mentioned within the narrative. There is also a small reference to stalking. This is an AU where Q has left the position as Quartermaster behind and is replaced by another Q._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

The new Quartermaster stood out. With a delicate build accentuating a rather startling young beauty, especially around the "30-something man"-ridden headquarters, with her eyes of a rich but light hazel shade which turned almost golden in the strong lights of Q-branch, framed by extremely long auburn hair of a gorgeous nuance which rarely even occured in its natural state, she really did turn quite a few heads.

At a mere 24, she was just the age of the last Quartermaster when he had begun _his_ stint in the important charge as head of the branch; the legendary young Q who had brought the Q-branch into the digital age with a bang and who had moved on to a newly formed special unit specially built to handle cybercrime formed after the whole Skyfall and Spectre fiasco. Being one of only six in the world, nevermind Britain, who could encrypt like him, her appointment as his successor was not questioned very loudly, even in the parts of the service with the most oldfashion of company culture lingering, though of course, there were exceptions.

Either way, it went without saying that her presence was well noted, throughout the organisation, and it also went without saying that James Bond - always looking for a new challenge - was completely and utterly _intrigued_.

The first time 007 flirted with the new Q, she didn't even notice. The second, third, fourth and fifth times he tried it, she merely regarded him with her deep, hazel eyes and made no comment. The sixth and seventh time she started speaking to somebody else, ignoring his existence entirely with a calm and presence she was envied by just about all of Q-branch, not to say the secretary pool.

Time number eight, though, James Bond thought that he spotted some irritation - and was that possibly amusement - deep inside her unfanthomable eyes. Maybe, deep down, fed by all those instincts of his - no matter what his considerable, it must be admitted, vanity told him - he knew that he was wrong.


	2. Chapter 1

_There are no warnings for this chapter, but reviews are always deeply appreciated._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

"Thank you". The new Q smiled at the tech who had gotten the appropriate files out with impressive speed, accepting them all with perfect grace - all professionality and calm kindness - impossible to ruffle or set out of pace. During the six weeks since she had taken over the leadership of the branch in early may, she had set up new budgeting, new schedules, new priorities and seemed downright intent on changing everything there was to change for the better. This far, she was succeeding. Considering the nice and neat shape the last Q had left it in, it was even more impressive.

She had turned towards the set of huge computer screens in the center of Q-branch and was working on what looked like approximately six projects at the same time, when sound levels in the busy branch dropped considerably, as James Bond himself stepped in through the open glass doors to the main floor.

The double oh had taken to showing up at odd times and irregular interwalls, recently, his only intention seemingly to flirt with the new head of the branch. Q always received him coldly, these days, though - at least usually - still as faultlessly polite as she was towards everybody else. There was not, however, a single speck of warmth there. Several secretaries of the branch had speculated that this was the precise reason why he couldn't seem to stay away - 007 had always relished a good challenge.

"What do you want, 007?" The Quartermaster stated coldly, not looking away from her screens, nor giving any indication that she was even noticing him, aside from her words. "Do I have to have a reason?" The agent sat down at the edge of the desk, a mere yard from Q, and smiled his most charming smile, his tone so obviously flirtatious that someone deaf would notice it.

Several women (and quite a few men, too) within hearing range suddenly found themselves with a need to sit down. Q however, gave no indication she even noticed, once again. "Yes, Bond," her usually so nice and polite voice almost snappish, "you certainly do. You are not going on any mission and thus need not be equipped, so please remove yourself from my department".

She had taken to doing that lately, outright sending 007 on his way. Once she had even, very memorably - and to James Bond's great shock (though he only let his just as honest amusement shine through) - not only threatening to call security if he lingered, but _doing_ it, as well. It had been the talk of all of Riverhouse for _days_.

"Won't you miss me if I go?" he was leaning closer now, breathing into her neck, quite literally, and was gratified to see a small shudder, though she still remained aloof outwardly. With an inner smirk, James noted that he was making good progress. "Hardly. Now be on your way, please, agent," she stated distinctly, but the agent though he might have detected a very slight tremble in her voice. This time, he was not wrong.


	3. Chapter 2

_A slight warning for themes of stalking._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

It was heading towards the autumn before anybody could really notice, suddenly, just like the weather and seasons always change, and yet the pattern still held. Bond still flirted outrageously with the Quartermaster, and she still held her ground.

It was a late evening in Q-branch when it all finally got turned onto its head, as eventually and enevitably tends to happen to any stalmate. And this was indeed a stalemate... of epic proportions, if you asked the gossips. Most of the "Minions", as the operatives of the Q-branch were generally referred to as, had already left for the evening - as it was almost nine o'clock at night, nobody could blame them - and the Quartermaster, also known as the "Minions' Overlord", was as close to alone as she ever became.

Generally protected at every turn, Q had a company-owned flat just a stone's throw from the headquarters, never needing to ever even set foot outside if she chose not to, and she generally chose to be either there or at the floor in Q-branch, as that's where she liked it best, though she every so often was found in her office off of the main floor of her dominion. Perfect as she was, she tended to actually _comply_ with the security protocol, and so she was usually guarded heavily whenever outside of her branch, rare as that was.

This evening, the main working floor of her branch was mostly, if not entirely, empty, the odd Minion hurrying to and fro still, but mostly the Overloard was working all alone in front of the main wall of monitors, enjoying the blissful quiet and the - aside from the computers - somewhat dimned lights of the unusually peaceful nightshift.

That was, until James Bond, only just returned back from a mission, came into the branch. Perhaps the agent snuck up on her on purpose. Maybe she was just that absorbed into the no doubt crucial and just as obviously highly complex work she was doing. The fact was that agent 007 suddenly stood just behind the Quartermaster as she turned around, grinning at her and sending her heart into her throat. Not in a _good_ way, either.

"What on earth do you think that you are doing, 007?!" The Quartermaster demanded, trying not to back away but at the same time wanting to put some real distance between herself and the agent. "Just returning my kit," Bond replied with a cocky smile and held out the small box towards her, "all here. What's my reward?" When, "Just get out, Bond," was all the responce he received, the man gave another smile, confident in the theory that he was making headway in his Quartermaster-seduction, and left.

With a sigh of relief at seeing him leave, though she pretended not to look at all, the Quartermaster finally let out the breath she was very much aware that she had been holding. Alone in Q-branch, or indeed, alone anywhere, was something she never again wanted to be when the charismatic agent decided to make one of his little visits.


	4. Chapter 3

_Many things could be said of Q, but she is not a pushover! Like, at_ _all_ _._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

"M". M looked up in surprise as Q entered his office, rather suddenly, and unusually not having asked for an appointment beforehand, the young Quartermaster looking unsually grim. Something was clearly up; there was something about her mouth, usually curved in a polite smile, which made him think of disaster. Something, clearly, was _very_ wrong here. "Q. Has something happened?"

"I want you to ban 007 from Q-branch," she replied without any preamble whatsoever. "I am happy to make his equipment - he is a good agent. But I refuse to have anything more to do with the man. Have somebody else equip him, somewhere far away from me". It wasn't a request at all, but an outright demand, her eyes flashing with something almost threatening.

"Has he been bothering you?" M held back a sigh, thinking of the rumours come from 007's flirting with the new Quartermaster and wondered if she finally had had enough. Or if this was, perhaps, a last ditch attempt to stay away, if she felt herself weakening to his flirting. He couldn't blame her, if she was. Much as he couldn't see the man's appeal himself, he was rather inclined to blame that fact on being a heterosexual male. And even he could see the agent was _charming_ enough.

Q raised an eyebrow in responce. "007 has been stalking and sexually harassing me since I started as Quartermaster. I am not putting up with it any longer. I am not accusing him; he might be a perfectly pleasant man for all that I know, but I also do know that he's a trained murderer who's trying to corner me".

She took a deep breath, turning half away from M and amended the words. "Who did corner me, in fact, last night, in my own department. It was late and I was alone. He might murder me for all that I know. Or worse". Her eyes were burning, as she turned to look at M again, and he realised that she was afraid, _terrified_ , even, but she had hid it very well up until now. So well, in fact, that none of them had noticed. Was, even now, actually, to any eye less trained than his. Clearly, she was far more brave than he had thought her to be. And 007's flirting was not so harmless, as he had assumed, either. M swore internally - this situation was _entirely_ his fault. He should have dealt with it immediately as he heard, instead of being stupidly lenient, assuming it harmless because _other_ women saw the double oh as harmless. He should have just _asked_ her.

With another sigh, and a mental shake, M nodded simply and resolved to deal with this promptly, and personally, before more harm came of it, promising in a low voice, "I will speak to the man myself, immediately". She nodded, clearly believing him, but she could hardly know just how much the man meant it.


	5. Chapter 4

_Things are heating up, around here, I dare say! With James Bond hanging around, I guess it was inevitable._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

James Bond knocked smartly on the door to M's office after some harmless flirting with Monnypenny, and upon hearing an "enter" from within did just that. He had been summonded very unexpectantly, but that was hardly unheard of. He was, after all, one of their top double oh agents: the unexpected was to _be_ expected.

"007". The agent stood still as Mallory looked him over sternly, making James wonder just _what_ he had done this time. He could not recall anything particularly damning since he last spoke to M.

M was scowling openly now, and James started to feel lightly concerned, though he did not fidget. He was a double oh, and even if he had felt an inclination to restlessness, which he did not, double oh agents simply _did not_ squirm. Even if they had no idea what they'd done to upset their boss. And M was angry enough - in his reserved way - the double oh noted, that he'd give his predecessor a run for her money, which was saying something. She'd had much more of a temper.

"007" the powerful man repeated, taking a breath and then shaking his head, very sternly, alarmingly enough looking almost as if he tried to calm himself down. "I have tolerated, like my predecessors have, your flirtations and your questionable - since they are effective - methods of completing your assignments".

M took another pause, breathing, deciding to keep from shouting if at all possible. "But this, _this_ will _not_ be tolerated". Bond still looked neutral, but internally, he was puzzled, and a little concerned. What on _earth_ was M talking about? The man was _fuming_ , and he had literally _no idea_ what he had _done_.

"Flirting, however inappropriate, is harmless; mostly, anyway. But _stalking_ , Bond? Repeated sexual harassment? What _ever_ were you thinking?" Now, James was feeling _decidedly_ confused. He had barely flirted lately, with anyone of the usual suspects, being too busy with trying to break down the significant walls of that intriguing new Quatermaster.

Bond knew very well that he was far from perfect, and he flirted with anything, he wasn't foolish, he knew that. But harassment? Stalking? He was a double oh, after all, and he was well aware that there was a limit to how forceful he could be before slightly startling a woman to his advantage, amusing himself and making an impression in the process, turned into something _far_ more sinister.

If he wasn't careful, he'd turn into the last thing he wanted to be, he knew that. Then, he would lose the battle all double ohs fought within, and he would truly become a monster. He hadn't thought he was even close to that line. Ever. For all his flirting, seducing and drinking, those last things he had grown up believing, he held onto firmly, and would until his dying breath. So what was M talking about?

"You will get your equipment from Monneypenny from now on, Bond, and are not to come within a hundred feet of Q-branch, do you understand me?" What on earth did that have to do with anything, James wondered privately. Out loud, all he said was, "And why is that, sir?"

"Why, Bond?! Because stalking, harassing and outright _terrifying_ our new Quartermaster to the point of her fearing not only for her safety, but her life, is not acceptable! You get away with much, but this time you will _keep away_ , is that understood?!"

" _WHAT_?!" And before M, or indeed anyone, could even think to stop him, James Bond had rushed off down to Q-branch.


	6. Chapter 5

_Anybody_ _knows that James Bond is trouble when he walks in..._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Q-branch got unnaturally silent as a seemingly enraged James Bond walked in the door, but to the great credit of the Quartermaster, she did not panic. She merely muttered out a, "call security. Now," to the nearest Minion and faced the agent head on, not even blinking.

"That will not be needed," James Bond casually pulled a chair away from a startled Minion and sat down onto it the wrong way around. "I am not going anywhere. No, I do not mean that as a threat," he replied calmly to the narrowed eyes of the Quartermaster. "Merely that I am staying put on this chair until we'd had a talk. I am not leaving until you've listened to what I have to say, but I am not coming closer, either. You've got absolutely nothing to worry about".

When noticing that Q was indeed listening, James sighed and elaborated, wishing that this conversation could be held somewhere else than in the middle of Q-branch, with an audience of at least three dozen startled, curious Minions, but aware that it was not possible. And it was entirely his fault, too. "M just spoke to me. He told me you wished to see me banned from the branch".

The Minions all looked on with some apprehension, some even giving out startled gasps. James Bond had no reason to be happy, it seemed, and he was sitting right there, coldly calculating. They were far from comfortable with what that added up to. "I did, yes. So why are you still here? They told me you were smart, for a double oh," Q replied just as coldly as before, if not more so. James Bond didn't smile in responce, but though his eyes were grave, they were not holding any threat either. "You're scared of me. I came down to tell you that there's no need". This time he could actually see her shudder, and it made him immediately even more serious. How could he have read her so _wrong_?!

"Q. I never meant to make you feel threatened. I was honestly shocked to hear M speak of stalking. If you want me to disappear, to simply get my gear from Monneypenny in the future, I will. But this ends right here, right now". Q watched him for a moment, then she gave a slow, slight nod. "Alright. Let's talk in my office".


	7. Chapter 6

_I am having such issues with writing dialogue for James Bond, it is unreal. I cannot figure the man's speach pattern out! This is going to end with me watching Casino Royale and Skyfall just to listen to him speak, and I just... I don't want to. I have better things to do with my time,_ _honestly_ _I do! Warning for one little (not very bad) curse word._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

It was by no means the first time James Bond had ever held open a door for a woman, but he had not done so with as little flirtatiousness or such an open show of respect since the late M was still around.

"Q" James started, and was gratified to see that she was slightly less tense now. She was still highly guarded, of course, but she was listening to him. Not to mention that she actually dared to speak alone with him. He had realised that she was damned brave, of course, but still. It was _something_. She nodded as a sign that he should continue. "Q; please believe me, what I said out there. I'll go away and stay away if you need or even want me to, and that's a promise, but don't be afraid of me. I honestly had no idea I scared you. It was perhaps - it was _definitely_ \- vain of me, but I swear I had no ill intent".

She nodded a little, letting her usual fasades slip, just slightly. She had no idea why she suddenly felt like confiding in the man who had terrified her beyond belief the very night before, but perhaps it was how kind he was currently being; or how strangely safe she felt here, alone with him, when it would have been her darkest nightmare that very morning. But most likely, perhaps, was that she simply needed to confide in _somebody_.

"I have never been very good socially" she noted, shrugging a tiny bit. "I tend to play aloof, it helps". "Still, some harmless flirting isn't all that intimidating," she studied his face, but there was only honest desire to understand there, no even a speck of judgement. "Even if something had followed," he continued, and though trained to lie, he clearly wasn't now, "it would have been with your full consent only, and completely safe, I promise".

He gave her a charming smile, clearly trying to ease the mood. "Just because I am great at strangling people, does not mean you were ever in any danger". She made a small, sighing noise. "I know that... I never _really_ thought you were going to get all that _violent_ , it is just," she swallowed, then looked down as she admitted. "I am asexual. The whole concept is utterly _terrifying_ to me. I..." "Ah".

She looked up in surprise, the man's tone not having been what she expected, and to her surprise discovered that James Bond was looking at her with honest _understanding_. That was the _last_ reaction she'd expected, and the last _person_ she'd expected it from. "That's not the reaction I generally recieve," she admitted slowly. He shrugged in responce. There was silence for a few moments, before she added, feeling awkward and wondering why she was even admitting this to him, out of all people, "My family tend to tell me to grow up and get a boyfriend". "I might not be the most likely to, but I get it". His tone was gentle now, understanding and kind.

"I'm straight, myself: not too hard for anyone to guess, to be honest," his smile was surprisingly insightful, "and I have seduced many women for queen and country. On one mission, years back, I had to instead seduce a man. There was no other way, or I wouldn't have done it," he sighed. "It isn't so very different. I mean, it is _very_ different, but the principle is definitely similar. It is still desire and touch... still the same rules, just another gameplay. Yet, it took me a lot of alcohol to get through, and a lot of time to get over. If you don't have the interest at all, I can only imagine how utterly _odd_ the whole phenomena is to you".

"I don't get it," she admitted, so relieved to have somebody understand that the words spilled out of her in a rush, "I mean I understand the mecanics... and all," she blushed now, "but I don't get the appeal". "You don't have to," he assured her kindly, obviously honest. "If you want me to, I'll go away and stay away, but I will never hurt you, or do anything to you that you'd object to, I promise. If I ever flirt with you again, please remember; it is only phantom pain".

At her puzzled expression, he elaborated. "You might still limp though the injury is healed, will still be upset though the cause is gone; still feel pain though the limb has been lost. It is force of habit, when it comes to me. Sometimes I still flirt, though there is nobody to flirt with. I will never bother you again, I promise you that. Sincerely".

Giving him a rare, genuine smile, the Quartermaster allowed herself to relax, just a little, merely saying three words, three words that would change everything between them. "Thank you, James".


	8. Chapter 7

_I am so not sure if this story has now lost all credibility as a "Bond"-story. Then again, if it has, it is fanfiction so it kinda didn't have any to start with... I honestly need some imput on this stuff or I am going to hide it in a desk drawer (methaporically speaking) until I can figure this story out._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

The first time James Bond hugs the Quartermaster, the entire Q-branch expects disaster. Q however merely startles a tiny amount and gives him a tiny smile. The second, third and fourth times she doesn't react at all, and the fifth time the double oh hugs the Quartermaster she leans into his strong arms just a little bit.

The sixth time the agent hugs the quartermaster, it is a big bearhug from behind as she stands before the monitors, and her minions fully expect him to get banned from Q-branch. Again. But nothing happens. Nothing at all.

The seventh time agent 007 hugs the Quartermaster, she looks up at him with a smile and simply starts to explain to him what she's looking at. And the eight time James Bond hugs the now not so new Q, she hugs him _back_.

It is an afternoon almost six weeks after the Quartermaster and agent 007 started to get along, when he finds her in her office, forgetting to eat lunch as usual in favour of doing what looks like about fourteen other people's work, as per usual. James sets an impressive sandwich down at her desk, next to the tea some minion has already replaced in her Q-cup (what is it with that all Quartermasters seems to have one lately?) and sits down in the chair in front of the desk, awaiting her to finish whatever task she's working on and look up.

About half a minute later the Quatermaster looks up, looking vaguely haggard in a way she doesn't usually do, even with her insane workload. In fact, she seems to thrive on being insanely busy. "Everything alright?" Bond has given up most of his attitude with Q lately, letting himself relax just a little bit, feeling no need to keep up appearances as an unshakable double oh around her. Especially as she is far too intelligent (not to mention too _cynic_ ) to buy it anyway.

"No, it isn't," she grimaces, reaching for her cup and taking a sip. "Christmas is coming up". "There are still several months left," James raises an eyebrow. "Well, my family has started to nose around already. They want me to come," she sighs. "They never quit, and they _always_ go on an on about why I still do not have a boyfriend. It is _terrible_ ".

Maybe it is some lingering guilt after having frightened her before, maybe it is the growing protectiveness he feels about her, that same feeling which has him frowning when he sees somebody checking her out and which makes him bring her lunch when he goes to speak with her, but he offers it quite spontaneously. "I could go with you". She frowns, blinks and then looks sceptic.

"Think about it. You honestly need a bodyguard, out there, Q, and I could pose as a boyfriend," he snorts. "It's not like it would be a first". At that, Q gives a laugh, realising the strangeness of this whole conversation. "Alright, 007 - but _no_ kissing!"


	9. Chapter 8

_Another chapter - I did end up watching "Casino Royale" instead of sleeping... turns out Bond doesn't_ _say_ _much at all. No wonder I couldn't remember what the man talked like._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Q sighed and took a deep breath before stepping into the restaurant. She was meeting four cousins of hers here, only one of which she actually liked. Kate had always been open to her ideas, and had accepted all of her little quirks without question, but she was pretty much the only one. Well, before she acquired a full branch of understanding and admiring minions, anyway, followed by 003 starting to drop in for chess at random interwalls and 007 suddenly turning up every few days with lunch whenever he was in London.

Q smiled for herself as she made her way over to the table, something which was an incredibly rare occurence in such close proximity to any of her relatives (with the possible exception of Kate). She liked the three double ohs - agents East, West and Bond. She knew the unmarried names of 003 and 004, of course, but after having acquried nicknames for being like the east and west winds because of a rather spectacular mission a few years back, the double oh pair had taken the names upon marrying.

She was shook out of her thoughts by her cousins' voices as she reached the table. Being a tad late, due to an unusually large explosion in the test hangar of her branch, she was the last to arrive at the table, being met by one face genuinely pleased to meet her, and three hostile ones. With an internal sigh, she resigned herself to two hours of tediousness and hellfire.

They start off with the expected insincere greetings and kisses, followed by incredibly boring talk as they discuss what to order. Used now to the two double ohs' clear (they did nothing at all, after all, to hide it) opinion that food was important to keep strength and that she was by far too thin - 003's tired resignation and 007's constant (and stubborn) attempts to make her eat better - it felt beyond surreal to sit there and listen to three women fuss about how they could not eat more than so-and-so calories.

The next subject was by far more interesting, and Q briefly found herself captivated as her favourite cousin, Kate, detailed her next little engineering project. They both sighed in unison as the other women cut her off within minutes, just because _they_ were uncapable of understanding it. She tried to keep herself from uncharitably thinking, "idiots".

As the food arrived, Q fought off even more boredom, listening to several long monologues about boyfriends and breakups, before Jennifer turned to her, smiling in a very unflattering way. "And look at _you_ , the eternal spinnster!" Kate was the only one not to laugh. "I am not a spinnster, I..." "Well, no, but you must admit that..." the second cousin, sister to the first, replied only for Q to cut her off, like she had cut _her_ off. "I am engaged. He's a naval officer - he is currently out on tour".

"Yeah, sure," was the only reply she got, apart from the rolling eyes. Oh, their faces at Christmas would be brilliant; James was _just_ their type. What was it _with_ the man and attracting absurd bimbo types? Usually married, too, though that might have been less accident nor preference and more about getting information about their husbands. Either way, this time, she would not need to face all of her judgemental family all by herself, and if nothing else she was profoundly grateful to James for that.


	10. Chapter 9

_I dare say, Q will be far less bored in this one; it contains double oh agents test-shooting (her) scary things, after all!_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Q stood at Q-branch's own shooting range, pulling the trigger repeatedly on a target with expert markswomanship. The gun she was trying out was an invention of her own, and it fit her as well as she suspected it'd fit 003. Agent East was an excellent shot, and quite the accomplished double oh in general, but she was considerably lighter than her peers, in the same general weight class as Q herself.

Next to her on a ledge lay an already tested sniper's rifle - she was quite the accomplished shot, after all - along with a heavier model. Too heavy for her, and thus awaiting the arrival of James Bond for testing.

James Bond, she had learnt, had only two ways of arriving into any room or situation. Either he snuck in absolutely silently: just standing there from one moment to the next, leaning somewhat provocatively against something and smirking, or he entered as loudly and conspiculously as was humanly possible - preferably involving at _least_ one explosion.

Thus it came as no surprise at all when she turned around for more ammunition and he stod there, watching her shooting with a half-flirtations smirk that didn't bother her now. She merely nodded towards the rifle, barely even noting his presence. James Bond was about as far from harmless as people got, but to her he was no threat at all, and she knew that now.

Q put her own, finished tests away, leaning back to watch Bond, taking notes on the performance of the weapon. He shot well, with a steady hand, and thus the targets were an accurate representation of the performance of her gun. She took down a few details with great interest, before she declared the test finished and let Bond pull her with him to get some lunch.


	11. Chapter 10

_And here comes some plot. There's an unusual amount of plot and very little fluff in this one, this far. Then again, fluffy James bond is an oxymoron, isn't it? (Challenge accepted.)_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Tanner came down into Q-branch a later afternoon the week before Christmas, and saw the Quartermaster sitting at one of the high tables stacked with monitors and technology, for once not typing on a keyboard, but instead preoccupied with what looked like old-fashion forgery.

This was alright, of course - like the double ohs had licence to kill, the Quartermaster had licence to fiddle with pretty much anything she desired, from hacking to making fake passports. Not only did she frequently need to, in order to sucessfully do her job, but some sorts of genius one simply did not attempt to restrain.

"You're doing that on your own? Surely a minion could..." he started once he'd reached her. "It is not work. Just a pet project. I am waiting for a program to run through," she replied without pause or looking up. Peeking over her shoulder, he spotted the name, "James Burbage," and he saw other pieces of what clearly was a legend spread out across the table. A thirty-something navy officer, by the looks of things.

"Not work?" he frowned with some concern. "No, just Christmas with my parents," she looked up for the first time. "What can I do for you, Tanner?" He promptly proceeded to tell her, not straying from the subject for several minutes, until suddenly Bond entered Q-branch, causing the administrator to pause. Wasn't he banned mere weeks ago?

From the look of things though, nobody else seemed to think so, if the lack of any special sort of activity was any indication. Q, as well, seemed to expect him. As Bond immediately spotted them and made his way towards the table where Tanner had joined the still working Q, she looked up with a smile (and wasn't _that_ unexpected) and started to gather up the papers she had spread around her.

"Ah, Bond. Alias is complete. ID," she handed a few of the papers over, giving him yet another friendly smile. Bond smiled back, strangely not flirtatious at all, Tanner could note. "Age okay?" "Yes. Burbage? It will do. I better speak with 005, he would have been starting out about then, I was already an officer at the time. See you later, Q," she nodded, and the double oh left as unceremoniously (which was quite shocking in itself, really) as he had entered, leaving Tanner with a sense of bevilderment. What on _earth_ was the two of them up to?!


	12. Chapter 11

_Please read, enjoy and then review this story? Pretty please?_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

On the 23:rd of december Q closed down her computer with a sigh and made ready to leave the eerily empty Q-branch, naturally finding James Bond at the door, noting that he had a bag with him. "Ah, James," she smiled at him, letting him take her computer bag off of her. This was a world away from the first time he had come down to find her alone in Q-branch, but she barely noticed. She had gotten so used to his near-constant presence whenever he was in London. "We are not leaving until tomorrow morning, you know". "I do. I hoped we could rehearse a little. You need to learn how to flirt in a passable way," the double oh critiqued gently, thoughtfully, as they walked out of the branch.

"I am not going to learn that from nill in one night, you know," she commented, but she still walked up and over to the highly guarded, covered glass isle leading towards the back of the complex, where several important people lived, knowing Bond would follow, without trying to dissuade him from coming.

"You don't need to. I can," the double oh commented casually, his voice calm and secure in his ability, his words few and to the point like they usually were. She liked that about him. Despite what people said, and her own words as they exchanged banter of late, Bond was not a blunt instrument at all; he was actually quite bright. Not as clever as she was, of course, but far beyond the average. Enough that she could trust him to following her reasoning, if not her methodology. After all, she couldn't have repeated what he did, either.

As she thought, Q lead on, not bothering to try and hide the codes for all the doors from 007. He was a spy - it was simpler to just change them later. Assuming of course that she didn't want him to know them, and she wasn't certain that she was bothered about that.

Q felt surprised herself at the ease with which she let Bond in, starting with what she had - and she still didn't know exactly why she had done it, call it instinct - told him about herself, and the very personal space of her flat was no exception. She had come to think of him as very safe (for her, anyway. She had heard him strangle people, after all) during the last few months, somewhat ironic thinking of how horribly he had scared her at first.

As expected, Bond insisted on them eating dinner, surprising Q by volunteering to cook. Sitting by her kitchen table and watching him move confidently in her kitchen, Q pondered at how very, utterly _odd_ life can be sometimes.

"You tend to startle when people come too close," he told her as he heated some butter in a skillet, not making small talk but getting straight to the point. Q had long ago noticed that Bond didn't talk all that much, though he could deliver very charming lines when he chose to. "You don't want to be touched, at least unless you know someone well and trust them: and you do not let people near you, generally".

"I suppose so," she conceeded. "Is that a problem?" "The opposite. The more perceptive somebody is, there more they will have noticed the physical distance you keep. You just need to learn how to let your guard down and look the part". Nodding, Q watched James expertly start on some recipy she had never even heard of, from memory.

"Your more perceptive family members will have noticed," Bond continued simply. "You tend not to startle when I come near, that's a start". "I trust you," she answered simply. "Good", he smiled at her, not a trace of flirtatiousness in his eyes now, the double oh completely sincere as he said, "I never want you to be afraid of me, ever again".


	13. Chapter 12

_Christmas with the family - such a sense of dread for so many. Well, they haven't got a James Bond to protect them!_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Letting an unmarked company car take them, Q and James started off at ten o'clock in the morning. James had stayed in her guest room, after she had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder at the couch, and he had carried her to bed, tucking her into it carefully like the gentleman he truly was beneath it all.

As James had insisted on some practising, Q kept leaning against his shoulder as they sat in the car. To be honest, she quite enjoyed the contact. By necessity, she had to rebuke all advances, as she had no interest in taking them where they were bound to go, but getting to rest against someone, without the expectation of more, was surprisingly pleasant.

James found himself smiling. Q, or Alice, as she had confided in him last night her real name was, had said that she trusted him, and she clearly meant it too, if one judged by the fact that she'd fallen asleep on his shoulder in the late evening.

Now, she was leaning against him again, and he found it surprisingly relaxing. He tended to come across most physical contact either in the way of a fistfight or seducing the wife of whoever's minions he had just killed in said fistfight. There was a certain sense of relief in having someone rest against him, somebody who had no expectations and whom he could trust, not tomemntion needed to keep no secrets from. To not have to watch his back with one person.

There were a very small number of people in the world a double oh did not have to hide from, people even James did not need to play a part with, but Alice was one of them - she had heard him over the comms when he had slowly killed a man with his bare hands, after all - and he enjoyed getting to truly relax with another human being for the first time in a long while.

"We will have to share a bedroom, of course," Q reflected suddenly, from her half-sleepy position against James' shoulder. "That's not a problem, I trust?" "No. And I'll be a gentleman about it," he reassured her, just in case, though he could hear from her tone she had not actually been questioning it. "I know," she replied, nodding for herself. "You were last night".

Q watched the big manor house as they came closer and closer up the long path leading to the house. James did not seem in the least bit intimidated, which was a good start. Of course, Skyfall was even grander than this house, if in a rough sort of way.

Q sighed as she saw several of her aunts, both by blood and those married in, milling about ready to pounce as other relatives were also arriving, same as herself and James. Taking a deep breath, she suddenly felt James put an arm around her shoulder, and she leant in as they slowly came up the last stretch of the drive, taking comfort in having a friend with her.

As the driver pulled up before the house, opening her door and then the boot, James got out on his own, doing his best "big predatory cat stalking" impression. For someone working with secrets, the man certainly knew how to draw the eye.

Letting the driver bring the suitcases, and allowing James to put a (clearly very protective) arm around her waist, they approached the house. Alice's aunts finally noticed her, and more than one was looking rather surprised.

"Alice, darling," one of her aunts greeted her, looking from her to James with a somewhat puzzled expression. "I wasn't aware that you'd be bringing someone this year?" "Oh," Alice held her smug smile firmly away from her face. "I thought your daughter would have let you know. I told her over lunch several months ago that I'd gotten engaged. This is my fiance - Navy Commander James Burbage". James reached his right hand out to shake hers firmly, not letting go of Q as he did.

Glancing around, she noticed her cousin in question watch, dumbstruck, only to get scolded by her mum a moment later for not telling her about these "terribly exciting" news. And she could hardly admit to her mother that she simply did not believe her, and thus didn't tell, now could she? Q actually did smile, this time, but tried not to seem as smug about it as she felt.

She was normally not a very smug sort of person, but it was this house, these people. She was not the young girl they could bully any more, but it still felt so very oppressive to have to come back to an environment which had never really been her _home_. Now, having a good friend with her, somebody she could trust, she felt instantly warmer, and it was not just the body heat of the man standing next to her, holding her so protectively.


	14. Chapter 13

_Sharing a bedroom with James Bond. There's a very specific type of etiquette for that, now isn't there? Luckily for those disinclined to like clicheés, Q does not know it!_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

As they were led in, James carrying her bag, she felt much less exposed than she usually did, perhaps because every relative already there was looking at James, not at her. He, of course, did not seem to mind one bit - the man was clearly entirely immune to teatrics. Not strange, as they were his home game.

The driver had left, leaving one of the house staff to carry the rest of the bags up to the room they were hastily reassigned to, instead of the closet they usually hid her away in. "This is very nice," James commented as they were finally alone, the door closed, as he checked the room for bugs. He seemed vaguely approving, but not in the least impressed. And why would he be. Q brought her tablet up and checked for surveilance that way.

"It is... they usually put me up on the top floor, in a tiny room. They are ashamed of me, I suppose," "They're idiots," he replied evenly, smiling kindly at her, just a trace of charm and flirting present. She ignored that. Phantom pain, that was all she registered it as. Q put her tablet back down, having successfully completed her check. "Clean," James confirmed a second later, stretching out onto the bed.

She nodded in agreement, unpacking a few essentials - James had said, amused, that she packed like a soldier, and she guessed that was true really - mentally bracing herself for the dinner her aunts always insisted on for Christmas eve.

"This part is always hell," Q muttered three hours later, sighing, as they stepped into the large lounge downstairs. "Well, they sound like pretty standard showoffs," James mumbled into her ear, grinning, "I know how to charm those. Go sit with your girlfriends and cousins. I will come".

"Alone again, Alicia?" She wasn't even looking, settling down at a table with a few of her relatives her own age, she already knew how smug they looked. Clearly, they hadn't heard the gossip yet. "Oh. My. Good," now she did look up, seeing all of her cousins staring with open admiration at James, who was coming over towards them from the bar, carrying two plates of food and wearing a very charming smile.

He easily put down the two plates onto the already full table, everyone looking now, but Q didn't bother getting up. True enough, James casually lifted her up and sat down into the seat she had been occupying, Alice now in his lap. She didn't mind. The Quartermaster wasn't afraid of him any longer, and he was plenty strong enough to be able to lift her without it being uncomfortable for either one of them.

"You better eat at least half of that, or I'll force feed you," he threatened - seemingly playfully, probably for for the benefit of her cousins - pointing to her food. His tone was indeed the one she'd heard a thousand times on missions (and with her minions) but that he never used on Q herself these days - flirtatious and charming. He already had at least three of her female cousins, as well as two of the male, properly entranced.

"I swear," James effortlessly continued to play his part, "every time I come back home, you are even less fed than when I go, and I never manage to feed you up before I need to leave again!" There were so many surprised faces around, but Alice found herself relaxing, leaning into her double oh friend with some relief; the sheer relief of no longer being alone.


	15. Chapter 14

_This chapter features... innuendo, and accidental cuddling. Also not so accidental use of an agent with a licence to kill as a pillow._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

The rest of the evening was surprisingly painless. Alice even thoroughly surprised herself by kind of enjoying herself from time to time. James drew the eye of widely speaking everybody of course, and continued to stay by her side, all the while mingling effortlessly and speaking affably with everyone coming to talk to them.

Alice spent most of it with her head buried to James' shoulder, half-listening to the various conversations and mostly ignoring all of her relatives.

James found himself smirking at the sheer clingyness of Alice in this setting. Not that she was all that clingy really, but this young woman with her head resting on his shoulder, refusing to talk to any of her - admittedly annoying - relatives, was such a far cry from the confident, completely unruffleable Quartermaster he was used to see. It was hard - even for him - to reconcile this Alice with the woman who calmly ordered her "Minions" to action, even when there was an electrical fire raging in her server room.

When they finally retired, Alice went straight to her computer to check up on things, while James, slightly amused by Q's computer-based reflexes, went to change in the bathroom.

"My cousins always make these silly pranks," Alice warned the double oh as she started to take down her hair to put it in a braid instead. "Try not to shoot them," she smiled. James merely grinned and nodded, walking out of the en suite and stretching out on the bed, dressed only in soft pyjama pants in a pleasant navy blue.

Alice made herself ready for bed in the bathroom after him and then went back out, hesitating for a moment, before getting in under the blankets together with James. It was a somewhat surreal scene, but not as threatening as she'd always imagined it ought to be.

The double oh sat up in the bed, his Walther on the bedside table next to him, not smiling at her but instead looking reassuringly comforting. "George and John have a habit of listening by the doors," she warned him, sitting up next to him, speaking close to his ear.

With an almost wicked (and very _Bond_ ) gleam in his eye, he put both hands on her waist and abruptly lifted her up into his lap without a word of warning. "Shhh," he quickly reassured the young woman who sat so close to him now. "We can speak like this. I have no alterior motives". Taking a deep breath, Alice nodded and let herself relax.

It felt supremely weird to be this close to him, straddling his lap, even, but it didn't feel threatening. James was still beneath her, his hands resting almost protectively on her waist. Slowly, she let her own hands drop, settling against his chest, so that they could talk into each others' ears without any possibility of being heard from the door, no matter how much her cousins were spying.


	16. Chapter 15

_So, I think we have started to enter into the realm of fluff slightly... I think that was kind of a given with it being_ _me_ _writing this story, wasn't it?_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Alice startled some, having been entirely absorbed in hers and James' conversation, as her cousins violently yanked the door open. She didn't understand their wide eyed expressions of shock at first, not until she realised what this must look like to them.

She was sitting in James' lap, straddling him - there simply wasn't any other expression for it -while he was only wearing low cut pyjama bottoms, and her lips were less than an insh from his neck. If she had been the type that blushed, she would have done.

"Is something the matter?" Alice had to hold back a smile. Trust James to be as calm and collected as ever. Figures it wouldn't be his first time getting caught in bed with someone, either. If she ever did that sort of thing, she'd roll her eyes.

Several more relatives of hers had gathered at the door now, and they all looked just as shocked as the first. As Kate appeared, looking completely and utterly taken aback and surprised, Alice felt James lightly shift her, inperceptibly altering how she was leaning against him just a bit. Meanwhile, several of her cousins were openly drooling.

"They're clearly busy," Kate suddenly cut the ever-growing silence short. "Why don't we all go back to bed? Sleep well, Alice. James". With that, Kate decidedly shut the door between them, causing both Alice and James to break into giggles, which they mostly managed to suppress in case they could still be overheard. "Oh my, that was quite the scene". Alice relaxed again against James' chest, closing her eyes. "You're comfortable," she mumbled, rapidly growing sleepy now.

"Interesting, to say the least," James smiled as he replied, settling down so they both would lie flat, accepting without question that he would clearly be her pillow tonight. He didn't mind. In fact, he was man enough to admit, if only to himself, that he liked it.


	17. Chapter 16

_There's no fooling some people... luckily they're not that many._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Kate left the hallway feeling completely and utterly shocked. Her shy, asexual, eerily clever, "men scares me" cousin had been sitting literally in the lap of one of the most overly "come hither" men she had ever met. He was very attractive, to be sure, and utterly aware of the fact, too. Charming, cocky, with just a hint of flirtatiousness showing through. In short, he was the last man ever she'd expect to see with her little cousin.

Then, as she shut her own door and sank down onto her bed, it hit her, the sudden insight. She realised suddenly that while Alice had been straddling James' lap and that he was more naked than dressed at the time, they hadn't been sitting as if they'd been making out, more like... if Alice had been whispering into his ear or something.

That made sense, of course. Their cousins, two of the younger guys, especially, had a habit of listening by the doors. Alice had been leaning against his chest, very trusting, and he had been holding her so protectively. There wasn't much passion there, though, now that she thought about it, which she seriously doubted anyone else would. Especially as he had... had he actually been shifting her to make it look more _convincing_ once he knew they were seen? Who _was_ he?

Not Alice's fiance, she could bet, but clearly someone she trusted an awful lot. Once again the thought hit her from nowhere, but it made sense. _A bodyguard_. Alice was far too clever not to have become something very impressive, and different from all the rest of the family Kate didn't buy the whole "IT resourse" work.

Kate thought it through methodically. Alice had called him James with such ease, and he had responded to it with all the habit you did to your own name, which must be hard to fake. She had, too, noticed the embossed "J.B" on the clearly not newly manufactured bag he had brought, so those might have actually been his intials, but she could bet his last name was _not_ Burbage. Yes, a bodyguard, sent by whatever employers Alice didn't talk about, seemed likely. Besides that part, though, was he... a new friend? He'd have to be, for Alice to sleep in the same bed as him.

Whatever was it was, though, and whether or not she was right on her hunch, whatever game he was playing, Alice was clearly in it with him, and then, as long as that was the case, it was just fine by Kate.


	18. Chapter 17

_So, this is the morning after, so to speak. Christmas morning._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Alice was used to being greeted by silence as she entered the morning room at Christmas morning for breakfast, but it normally was rather judgmental, while this silence was more like thoroughly baffled.

"Hi Kate!" Alice smiled back at her favourite cousin warmly. "Good morning!" "So, he seems nice," Kate commented on James without any preamble, glancing at the man in question, attractively lounging against a wall and being charming to anyone speaking to him. Q smiled warmly, it fully reaching her eyes, and she could sense her favourite relative relaxing some at that. "He is". And that was all they needed to say on the matter. Kate knew, and Alice knew that she did. Kate trusted Alice to know what she was doing, and Alice trusted Kate to trust her.

Like any other Christmas morning, they then all sauntered into the large living room, set up with a tree the size of a small house, to exchange gifts. Alice had gotten everybody token gifts in the form of rose candles, except for Kate - who she had gotten a gorgeous red leather jacket - and James. She had made him a genuine Christmas gift; namely a very fancy Walther she knew his eyes would light up over, but she'd also bought him a present far more appropriate to be opened this morning. She wondered privately what James had gotten her.

Unusually, for a Christmas morning, Alice found herself if not at ease so at least not uncomfortable, perhaps because she felt so safe, sitting in James' lap again, held by him in that supremely protective fashion. She was glad she'd given him a military identity, because he clearly acted like he was. Her police force uncles were bound to have noticed that by now.

For all she knew, they had already made some calls to check up his references, so to speak. Heh, she decided, they probably had. Well, they had inside people for that kind of thing. Because she was the Quartermaster, and she didn't do legends by half. She did _perfect_.


	19. Chapter 18

_I am really rather milking this whole setting, aren't I? Maybe I should just ge a move on... yes, let's do that! This is the week before Christmas - one year after the last chapter. What? I said I'd get a move on!_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

 **One year later. Almost.**

The Quartermaster sat in a high chair at the table stacked with technology before the main computer screens of Q-branch, tapping away at four separate keyboards without losing her pace even once, even though her attention was needed by various members of her staff almost continiously; not to mention other operatives.

Agent 001, in his usual tidy fashion, the most sucessful and discrete agent on hand, was sitting at a table nearby, sipping some espresso and silently watching 004 smoothly pick a new hunting rifle apart next to him.

Her wife, agent 003, was sitting on the desk next to the Quartermaster, seemingly interested in what happened on one of the screens, while 005 and 006 both sat reading the newest mission reports of the forementioned agents and 007 lounged against a desk, watching for someone to flirt with, most likely.

During the last year, this had grown increasingly common. 001 usually kept a fair distance, but 003 through to 007 had rather closed ranks around their young Quartermaster, one agent at a time.

"She still cannot flirt to save her life," Alec suddenly spoke up, only to get an eyeroll from the younger 005. "She's asexual. Why would she even _need_ to know how to do that?" "Why does it matter?" 004 spoke sense as she always did, agent West being a rather powerhouse person without room for much nonsense.

"Bond can charm anyone and anything, I am sure he will be able to cover for her". "They did fine last year," 003 bent forward, her eyes fixed on the screen and her voice making her sound lightly unfocused on their conversation. Q merely made that image larger, not getting involved in her agents' conversation. But she smiled.

"Didn't you make Bond a cover? Back then, I mean?" West looked up from her lethal puzzle to address the Quartermaster directly. "Yes I did" Q didn't stop typing for a moment. "You did very well, too, little sister," James noted warmly, giving her a charming, but not flirtatious, smile. Not that she would have noticed if it would have been, these days; phantom pains and all that. "Well, it helps to be a legend, when one makes legends," agent East quipped with a grin. The Quartermaster merely smiled, eyes still on her screens.


	20. Chapter 19

_I am not even sure what the point of this story is any more... but I am thoroughly loving to write it, all the same. This chapter features an adult scene... sort of._ Implicating _an adult scene. All you really get is Alice being sarcastic. And totally fantastic, at the same time. Still, there's adult implications. You have been warned._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

 **In Between Of The Two Christmases**

 **March. Earlier that same year.**

Q turned on the com-link and all but rolled her eyes at what she heard. "Seriously, James," she scolded him, "I don't even like guys and I can tell you're faking it! _Can_ men even fake it? I didn't know that... I so don't _get_ these things. Report back to me when you're done being busy doing your job in the most ridiculously provocative manner you can possibly think of, would you?"

Bond, of course, didn't reply, as his lips were a mere insh from his target's daughter's ear. Said woman was also the secondary target's wife; after all, 007 didn't go for single ladies. No matter whose lady she actually was, she was far too close for him to get away with talking. And he just knew that his Quartermaster was silently loving to catch him in such situations just because he couldn't _possibly_ talk back.

Some asexuals were apparently alarmed by sexual sitautions, but his superiour turned friend turned roommate turned little sister merely seemed amused, in a sort of, "oh, look at those strange sexual people. Now what are they doing," sort of way.

It was almost two hours later - and Q suspected that if she'd known more about such things, she'd be impressed - when Bond called finally called in, letting her walk him through a building where he was to plant hardware for her to hack a (somewhat) secure system, chatting as he went.

"Men can fake it, you know," he educated her, ducking around a corner, "we're just not as good at it as women". "Hence being a professional spy comes in handy," she suggested, and she knew that he responded with that half-grin of his that got her minions so in a flutter. "I was just making her out to be better than she really was, though, that's merely some cheating. How's things back home? What's the double oh report?" She knew better than to think it was him merely passing the time; James was quite protective when it came to all those he cared about - he'd more than proven that with the late M, not to mention a whole lot of other situations.

"It is good. 001 is lovely, fashionable and is hitting on my secretary - I'd say he is more than a little interested in turn, though a bit intimidated by being seduced by our only gay double oh, what is it, three of you that's not bi? And M thinks it is only you seducing your targets..." It seemed to him like he could actually _hear_ her rolling her eyes, even though that was not physically possible. "You people _are_ a type..." she snorted, knowing them well enough now to know that they all did, eventually, just with very different frequency. Some seduced their targets every other mission, some only very rarely. But they all _did_. Sooner or later.

"003 keeps losing at chess this week, and her wife flirts with me every time she comes down here... I finally worked out why she keeps doing it, because I knew East told her I'm not..." she cleared her throat and watched 007 through the security footage.

"Anyway, I'm sure I don't feel threatened. 005 hasn't flirted with me since you spoke to him in the gym - he is really nice actually, I like him. 006," she did roll her eyes, now, "still flirts, but he does it only to piss _you_ off, so I don't care. 008 has now slept with five of my male minions in four days, she's officially beaten your record, and 009 hasn't been down here since West told him to get stuffed. A relief". It was, all in all, a rather typical conversation for the Quartermaster and the agent, so no one in Q-branch, if they did hear any of it, even bat an eye.

 **May. Earlier that same year.**

The first time agent 007 slept over at Q's flat, he stayed in her guest room (well, after carrying her to bed after she fell asleep on the sofa). By the eight occasion, the double oh woke the Quatermaster at 0600 sharp by cleaning his Walther while sitting in her bed. Already the first time this happened, she merely told him to move over and went straight back to sleep. It rarely ever happened again, as the agent quickly learnt how far away he had to be not to wake her up. And thus, in the future, she slept through the agent's bisarre morning weapon rutine.

It was in the aftermath of yet another successfull mission that the bombshell was dropped. As 007 was critiqued yet again for not having found himself another flat after the Skyfall incident, he merely replied that he was living with Q. M asked her to come to his office not an hour later.

M, the poor man, was very uncomfortable as he asked the apparently at ease Quatermaster walking into his office if Bond was still stalking her. "Bond?" she blinked, obviously quite taken back. "No, not since that day. Why?" "He said he was living with you". "Oh!" Q merely smiled. "He does, yes. He is an excellent roommate, actually - quiet and protective and often away. Oh! And he can cook!"

As M let her go, he quietly concluded that much as he was fluent in office politics, he truly didn't understand Agents. Or the new Quartermaster. It honoured him that he didn't think anything about how women are mysteries.

 **November.** **Earlier that same year.**

The new agents looked on with awe at the sparring double ohs. 003, much slighter than the rest, so much so that someone had expressed concern upon first seeing her there, was taking on half a dozen of junior agents, winning easily by sheer experience, expertise and _speed_.

Also there, given a respectful distance by most of the agents in the gym, was the Quartermaster herself. Dressed in practical workout clothes, her long red hair up in a ponytail, she was sparring with a supremely gentle James Bond, the pair watched over vigilantly by double oh four just in case backup would be needed.

It was far from unusual, these days, to see the group of double ohs around their Quartermaster. So much so that when double oh nine scared her and they subsequently beat him up, no one was surprised. Nor was anybody surprised when after the generally disliked investigator who recieved the video footage of them ganging up on the errant double oh had it erased by a virus alledgedly acquired by visiting a very, ahem, _questionable_ website, Q merely looked up from her screen and said he'd gotten the only copy.

Of course, when her little (deadly) ducklings had been cleared on all accounts, and someone lamented not having the recording on hand for training purposes, it mysteriously appeared on a spare disk no one had thought to look at, and no one was in the least surprised by that, either.


	21. Chapter 20

_And now, we are back in the present! Yay?_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Alice looked on in half distaste, half bemusement, as accountants were going over something inconsequential, half the double ohs missing even though attendance to the meeting was mandatory for all nine of them.

001 was present and correct, as ever, 008 was present and flirting with half the men present, (also as ever) but Alice's self-chosen big brother, best friend and said friend's wife were all missing, likely linked to them all having disappeared into the showers together after sparring. 005 was there though, looking unhappy, but Alec had seemingly chosen to run for it. At any rate, he wasn't there.

Q sat down heavily at her desk after the hour long meeting - which should have been an email - was finally over and done with. Looking at an email from Kate, she pondered the possibility of inviting her favourite cousin over. James would hardly be home tonight, but she couldn't invite her into the flat, not when it practically had her position written all over in.

She compromised by meeting Kate elsewhere, spending a number of hours at their favourite little cafe. It was a pleasant, lazy night of discussing the various idiocies their relatives had made themselves guilty of recently, and the upcoming Christmas holidays, all to the soundtrack of Christmas music playing and people dropping in carrying bags of gifts, taking a break from shopping.

"So, how's... James?" Kate's face was very sceptic, and Alice made a split second decision. "He's good," she looked at her clock, "possibly still having a threesome with my best friend and her wife, or they might have taken a break by now". She shrugged and took a sip of her tea, looking down but still registering the engineer's startled expression. "He's their only repeat boytoy that I know of. Maybe he's just that good. I _can_ vouch for that he's very comfortable to sleep on..."

"Does he... stray because you're..." Kate bit her lip, obviously struggling here. "No, he's actually single," Alice shrugged, not bothering to explain, and her cousin did not ask for an explanation. She knew their family just as well, after all.

"So, you're really just...?" "Well, James think he's my big brother," Alice smiled, "and we live together. He's a very good roommate - he can cook!" Kate snorted, of course she knew Q couldn't cook to save her life. And she wasn't surprised to her the name "James" so casually referred to - she had guessed that was really his name, after all. She had also seen her usually so timid and reclusive cousin leaning into the man trustingly.

"Life is good for you now then. New family... new friends," Kate noted, remembering the words "best friend" being casually noted as if it was the most natural thing in the world, by someone who was once so alone. Her favourite cousin smiled, and replied simply, "Yes. Very much so".


	22. Chapter 21

_There's agents who are not double oh agents in this chapter. I thought it was about time._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

It was always a bit of an occasion when new agents were recruited. Every workplace had its own hazing rituals, to be sure, but this being Riverhouse, merely calling it that was rather an understatement. There was of course rigorous training sessions and a lot of boring meetings about secrecy when a new person started out, but outside of that, setting up newbies to get put into place by the double ohs was pretty much considered the ultimate sport by every employee from the secreterial pool and junior agents to anyone less senior than the double ohs themselves. Anybody, in other words.

Especially annoying and/or arrogant new recruits found themselves the victims of this ritual, and of course, every so often a newbie managed to actually annoy one of the double ohs themselves. Those new recruits never lasted very long, as a rule.

One new agent who had managed to get on quite well with most of his senior colleagues, and thus would not have had to face off with the double ohs, would have been a familiar face to both the Quartermaster and - to a somewhat lesser degree - double oh seven.

Alice had not been unaware of Kate's little brother David's career choises, but she had not been aware of quite how well he had been doing, before that historical day in the Riverhouse sparring rooms.

It had been a new recruit day, but for the elite that was the Quartermaster and her flock of double ohs, it had been just like any other day. Everything had been normal as they'd started to sparr - 003 watching with delight as her wife and 001 had finally agreed to face one another - James seemingly content to act as Alice's personal trainer and 008 joining the relatively green (for a double oh!) 005 in trying to take down the much more experienced Trevelyan.

James were in the middle of demonstrating a punch for Alice, when once of the new junior agents - a group of them had been watching the double ohs sparr in awed silence from the hallway though the room's huge glass windows - came into the room in a bustle of hurry and indignation. The double ohs ignored him for a few moments, before pausing to watch him, their expressions much the same as someone who'd be disrupted by a particularly noisy bumblebee.

David had been watching the most senior agents Riverhouse had to offer from the safety of the hallway along with his fellow "newbies". They were all eminently qualified, of course, but they had quickly learnt that here, _here_ they were considered _green_. It was all about perspective, he supposed as he watched two of the most lethal people in the world - double agents four and one - face off playfully inside the room.

Double oh five was apparently considered as green by his fellow double ohs, nevermind that the man had already built a considerable reputation. It was all about how you looked at it, like everything. Looking past the agent in question - he though that was agents six and eight he was sparring with, but couldn't be certain yet - he suddenly felt his stomach drop into his new dress-shoes.

That was Alice, his sweet little cousin Alice, in there, standing by her _fiancé_... who looked just about ready to _hit_ her. Later, David would agree that he acted very rashly, and he would understand as well that the man he had been making trouble with was one of the more lethal agents they had, even for double ohs, but at that moment, he simply didn't connect those things together.

All he saw was that his cousin needed him, and all he remembered was all the times when they were small and he didn't stick up for her. He wasn't a kid any more, and he wouldn't let her get into any trouble if he could help her.

Storming into the double oh's private dojo and screaming at one of his technical superiours that he ought to be man enough not to hurt his fiancé, might not have been a very smart thing to do, but he was lucky that none of the double ohs saw him as an actual threat. He might have still got into significant trouble, but to his utter astonishment, Alice had turned towards him and beamed. Later, she had told him, "thank you". Apparently, the fact that she was the superiour of all of them (thinking about it, that didn't actually surprise him one bit) and in no danger whatsoever wasn't what mattered to her.

In that moment, however, all she said was, "Everyone, this is David, my cousin. Don't hurt him - he's Kate's little brother. He's probably my second favourite actual relative... and also my second favourite 'brother' of sorts..." she had winked at the man she'd been sparring with then, and turned back to David after a second. "David, this the big brother I never had - you know the ones I were born with are just _rubbish_ \- James, 007; my best friend Emma, 003; her wife - 004; Michael and Alec - double ohs five and six - and 001 and 008".

She listed them off effortlessly, still smiling, and every time she introduced one of them, the person waved (actually, that was just 003) or - in several cases - just raised an eyebrow.

All in all, it was not a perfect meeting, but David both gained a new closeness to whom was actually his favourite cousin, hands down, and a lot of cred with his peers for pulling that off without being eaten alive by the double ohs, so he couldn't regret his silliness too deeply.

It was only much later that he realised that he had been introduced by ways of his sister; the double ohs clearly all having heard of her - and in extremely good ways - already. He knew from that day forward, just how much Kate meant to Alice: and how much Alice meant to her new, adopted family.


	23. Chapter 22

_It turned out this lethal scooby gang was not quite finished, so here comes some more; because the muses must always be obeyed! This chapter also contains the answer to what James was doing in Alice's bed in chapter nineteen._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Alice gathered a small bag - once having contained jewelry, but now filled with rice instead - on the way as she got out of bed and headed towards James' bedroom. She had been busy with some late-night programming when she heard the double oh get restless in his sleep.

It was the nature of their work that they both suffered from nightmares occasionally, and Alice had lost count of the number of times she'd awoken from dreams she only remembered as cold and fear, to the steady hands of James as he held her by the shoulders, persuading her to wake up.

Whether it was a bad dream or a bad memory - she had many of those from growing up - James was always there as a comforting presence in her life. Often just him existing in the world, someone she could think of as family, was enough to make it seem a little easier to breathe after a nightmare. The same, of course, went for agents East and West, amongst others, but those three were doubtlessly her closest friends - family in their own right.

If she asked him to - and she sometimes did, too intelligent to be foolishly proud - he stayed with her, quite a comfortable pillow after a trying, even disasterous day. Sometimes, he came there on his own, especially if he had lost someone on a mission. She was too clever, anyway, to buy that even the most admired double ohs were something other than people, who suffered from doubt and regret just like any others, and needed support and friendship like everyone else did, so maybe that was why they never bothered to hide it. Not from her.

Now, she carefully opened the door to James' bedroom, tossed the little bag onto the sleeping agent in the bed, and moved away from the doorway hastily. Even though he often awakened her when she had bad dreams by carefully touching her, always making her feel safe after whatever had haunted her in her sleep, she had given up on using that tactic on him after the first time, when he had awakened to full awareness just in time to stop himself from snapping her left wrist clean in two.

This time, all she got was the relatively undramatic reaction of a cut-short gasp, and then, not more than twenty seconds later, her self-declared protector stepped out into the hallway. As James clearly didn't want to be alone, and they never had their little sleepovers (which reminded her very much of sleepovers with her cousin containing bad movies and ice cream, and at the same time were _nothing_ like them) in his bedroom; partly because of his much smaller bed (they were _completely_ platonic friends with nightmares, not a couple from a cheesy rom-com, after all, and they needed _space_ ) but also because of his somewhat volatile instincts - he needed to know she was with him in order for it to be completely safe for her to be, and he knew she was if he woke in her bed - they walked back to her bedroom together.

Alice settled back into bed again, this time joined by one of the most deadly men she knew, not that he seemed all that dangerous from her perspective. She remembered very clearly that night she had tried to awaken him from a nightmare and he had gripped her wrist, almost breaking it in the process.

She had not doubted for a moment that if James only woke up properly, if he realised who she was, he'd let go, and she had been right - he had let go of her as soon as those vibrantly blue eyes (very handsome eyes, according to her best friend - and she took her word for it) had lit with awareness and recognition.

The doctor who had checked the brusing afterwards (James had insisted) had not doubted this, but M had given 007 a right talking to anyway. Hence, Alice now tossing things at him instead, as that was really much safer (besides, James had insisted on _that_ , too).

Now, continuing her little project accompanied by the steady breathing of James - who was mysteriously not in the least disturbed by her computer tapping, but would rocket out of bed at a creaking door - Alice reflected on time. It was a curious being, really, capable of such wonders; holding so much power over them all. After all, all that was between her in the _now_ \- happy, successful and with friends good as family - from loneliness, cold and a neverending sense of _not_ belonging was a few years of _time_. Curious, really. She truly hoped it would always be on her side.


	24. Chapter 23

_This is just shameless fluff right here. There's no point to it whatsoever. Just fluff. I like this chapter._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

It had become habit for many of the double ohs to gather down in Q-branch when they had downtime, but this afternoon when they all filed into the main workspace of the boffins, they found another agent already there.

Alice's cousin David was sitting next to her where she was working - in her favoured spot by the huge monitors centering the branch - seemingly reading up on old reports as she worked, much like they would themselves.

Pausing only for a tenth of a second, they all found their normal spots, and settled in like they always would: Alec and Michael lounging somewhere random, James bringing food for his roommate, East choosing to sit in her wife's lap at the table behind the monitors.

Always the professional amongst them, 001 went to see if he could help the younger agent out, while they all settled in. Soon, they were caught up in a snowballing conversation which started with advice for newbies and ended in a story of a disaster of epic proportions Alec and James had gotten involved in during their early years which had them all in stitches. Even Alice, still working across all her screens, was smiling softly for herself.

Sometime after the conclusion of the ridiculous story, David carefully asked about the absentee double ohs. "Eight is busy seducing the new male receptionist on the third floor - she's not usually with us, anyway - and 002 never cieces to be a newbie," 001 explained helpfully. At David's blank look, he chuckled. "Double ohs do not have a very long life expectency: most of us have been around for a while now -five is the newest - but 002 never last longer than six months. Haven't for over... oh what is it, now? Almost ten years, I'd say".

"Well, at least that keeps Eight entertained," Alec noted with a shrug. They didn't need to explain why that was to the newest member of their little circle: 008's reputation with the 002's was legendary around the entire Riverhouse.

"What about 009?" He asked instead, surprised to see grim looks being exchanged between the more senior agents.

"He scared your cousin," James finally enlightened him, his tone grim. "Properly, too: he followed her home and tried to get her to kiss him outside our door. I was at home, luckily, and I took care of him." "We helped, afterwards," East's smile was not very pleasant, but given what he'd just heard, David didn't really want it to be. He hoped he wouldn't come across the man anytime soon: he needed more practise before he could hope to win a fight with a double oh, and he was definitely tempted.

"Is he still around?" he asked instead, recieving chuckles of amusement as surprising as their initial reactions. "He got fired, technically..." West's smile was even scarier than her wife's, "but he's still in recovery. We made sure to put him there for a good, long while". After that, David decided that it might be safer to enquire about other subjects.

It was almost midnight by the time they all left the branch, David joining his cousin, her roommate and 001 to Alice's apartment, where the two double ohs proceeded to cook a delicious dinner, seemingly entirely unconcerned about the lateness of the hour.

As the two cooked, he was enlightened about the facade he himself had witnessed the last Christmas - and apparently would again, very soon - of James' being Alice's alledged fiancé. "Your family is very intolerant," James had remarked with a frown, halfway through a story mostly told by the other double oh, "this way makes it easier on Alice, for as long as she wants to come."

"There probably will be a time when I don't," she seconed that thought, shrugging in David's direction, "I only really like you and Kate. One day I'll just celebrate the holidays with the family I actually like for a change". David found he couldn't argue with that: nor did he want to. He agreed.

In the end, David and Alice both found themselves falling asleep on her couch, but the two double ohs were more than capable of carrying them off to bed. This they did, in companionable silence, wearing fond smiles they didn't need words to promise each other never to tell a soul about.

They also needed no words to both know that Alice would know just how they had looked, anyway. They didn't mind.


	25. Chapter 24

_And here we have yet another Christmas with the family for Q. Not in so many chapters this time, though. These are mostly silly little headcanons about Bond putting Q's childish male cousins into their place, which I couldn't seem to eradicate from my head. I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I did!_

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Alice left straight from the lab to where James was waiting, in the new, specially equipped car she had just started to produce in more than prototype fashion, as the agent had insisted that he'd drive himself this time. She didn't mind - she hated driving anyway and she couldn't have cared less who else was doing it; just as long as she didn't have to.

Checking that her bags were there (they were - James didn't miss much, and certainly not anything so straightforward as that) the Quartermaster settled into the comfortable passenger seat and closed her eyes, naturally already having advised her roommate about her cousin Kate's changed degree of knowledge.

"Q," was the succinct word that woke her up, and she opened her eyes to spot the familiar roads mere miles from her family's main "family home". "Nearly there," she noted and stretched, trying to get the kinks out of her neck. "Yes," James merely confirmed, not being a very chatty person by nature.

"It is that time of year again," Q muttered to herself, grateful for a few moments to gather herself. Of course James would know to wake her in time. Sometimes she was still surprised at that sheer instinctiveness of all of her double oh friends. Then again, as instincts was how they made it out alive, it was rather natural that those of them who had managed to stay alive for this many years were all rather good at staying in touch with that side of themselves; they had to be.

By the time Alice had reached the end of her little errant thought, James was pulling up into the drive, parking next to one of her uncles' cars, an usually nicelooking hot hatchback which now looked rather silly next to the specially designed and largely handmade hypercar she had personally drawn for her roommate.

James exited the car smoothly, going round it to open her door before gathering their bags, as usual not allowing her to help (and that went not only for Bond, but West, Trevelyan and Kent - 005 - as well). She had stopped asking, by now. There were limits for how stubborn even she could be. At least, when no electronics were involved, there were.

As they reached the door, Alice reached out and rang the doorbell a fraction sooner than James. The door was opened within half a minute by one of Alice's cousins, who gave her a harsh look and then just literally backed away as James stepped up behind her and gave them a look in return which was best described as silently _lethal_.

Q held back a smirk as they stepped into the entrance hall, her cousin having already... well, honestly; ran away. As she met James' eyes, he gave her an amused, slight grin. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course James was enjoying this.

Half an hour and a quick tripp upstairs to put their bags in the room they'd gotten last year, they entered the lounge, every eye drawn to them immediately. Kate had told her about the family gossip, of course - the predictions that their most boring relative could never hold on to a man like James very long. But now here they were, James' arm wound protectively around her shoulders just like last year.

"Hello Alice. James!" The greeting came from Kate, and they went straight over to sit with her, James kissing her cheek, making it seem like they had become quite good friends since the family had last seen him and Alice last year, instead of the two not having seen each other once.

Kate, smiling knowingly, greeted Alice with a hug, smirking only barely perceptibly when she noted, "How lovely to see you again... not that it was long ago. Has anything happened since last?" "Not a thing. It _is_ just three days. For you?" Alice quipped back as James went to get them both food.

"No as such. So how's the dishy fiance?" Alice grinned properly now. "Hot and not bothered. Any men in your life?" Kate didn't reply, too busy laughing. "Making fun of me, are you? Nothing has changed then!" James scolded them playfully as he returned with two plates, putting them onto the table and pulling over a chair - turning it the wrong way around before sitting down, of course - to their table, next to Alice.

"Still trying to make my cousin eat more, James?" Kate asked, remembering the man's line from last year when she saw the well-filled plates. The next few minutes were spent with James very believably - probably because it was all true - complaining good-naturedly to Kate about how Alice absolutely never took good enough care of herself.

In the evening, as the two women settled into a couch talking about Kate's latest engineering project, their male cousins took it upon theirselves to pull James into their cardgame, laughing as Alice made a show of telling her "fiance" to behave himself.

Naturally, after settling on poker, both Alice and James knew very well how it was all going to end, but the other players didn't, and were all shocked to discover that James won without even breaking a sweat.

"James!" Alice reprimanded from halfway across the room as he pulled all the chips towards himself with the ease of long habit and practise. "I told you to play nicely!" They all looked at her in some surprise, even Kate, but James merely smiled. "I am, love. We are not betting high". "Best for you, that, sweetheart!" she responded, getting only a wide, charming smile in return. The glimmer in James' eyes told her all she needed to know though - the undercover double oh was really enjoying himself, that much was clear.

The next day - after presents had been exchanged (she had gotten James some inane, family-will-see-it-friendly gift for the moment, as his real gift was _not_ , and Kate some intriguing new engineering tools she had developed especially) - the cousins monopolized James once more, this time insisting he'd join them for a ride and some shooting, as they had a track set up with targets in the wood.

Alice rather suspected quite a few of her older relatives thought her fiance was going to get his ass kicked, especially as there were mentions of sparring before they went back again, but she also noticed that Kate didn't seem to share in this sentiment at all. She didn't herself, either, and half expected one or more of her cousins to return with a black eye. She should have known James was far too subtle for any of that. It was, though, very clear that he had gotten a much better score at shooting than any of the others, and she was not surprised in the least.

She was amused though, as James still smiled in that mischievous way, and all the rest of the weekend was easier than ever as her normally cocky cousins were suitably subdued. Kate seemed to enjoy that as much as she did.

Perhaps it was that, or maybe they had gotten burned last year, but there were no one bursting into hers and James' room this year, which - besides being convenient - was just incredibly _funny_.

It was two unusually painless and quick days, and then they returned to London, to celebrate Christmas with the now returned agents 001, 003 and 004, as well as Trevelyan and Kent, who had seemingly spent Christmas eve and morning together getting drunk and gossiping about James.

Thus it was, that on the 26:th of december, Q, and her little collection of lethal - but nice - field agents sat in the otherwise deserted Q-branch, some on the floor (Emma and Michael), some on a sofa (004 and 001) and some on Q's desk (Bond and Trevelyan) sharing cocoa and outrageous stories only the more strange because Alice was positive they were all true.

Herself, she sat in her high desk chair by the monitors, frankly using the two agents as a convenient backrest. It was bisarre, really, but this somewhat odd situation? It felt like _home_.


	26. Chapter 25

_And then - again - this is the last chapter! I hope you have enjoyed the story and please review, I'd really appreciate it._ _It is finally time to find out what happened to Madeleine (she's clearly not with Bond) and why Q resigned._

 _I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Taking a deep breath, but trying not to be obvious about it, Q attempted to judge her surroundings without opening her eyes. It seemed to be fairly dark, though there likely was some guiding light, which had not been there before.

She was somewhere soft, likely still in her own bed; judging by the feel of the fabrics underneath her hands. There were no voices, but there were the sounds of soft breathing, nothing obvious. Clearly, whoever they were, they were pros.

She continued to try to judge the scarce evidence, meanwhile attempting to keep her breathing nice and even, not to give her away, as she wondered where her insurance for these kind of things were. Why hadn't 007 reacted to this intrucion? She knew that he was home.

And there they were, finally, the silent, steady steps of her roommate. But whoever was by her door, James clearly felt no need to engage them, because nothing happened - not even the click of an armed gun. Allies or friends then. And good ones... ah.

Alice let herself relax as her deductions took her to an inevitable conclusion. Today was her birthday. Some people: very good at sneaking, capable of getting entry to her flat and not percieved as any kind of threat by 007, were breaking into her flat. The answer was obvious, really; the rest of her double oohs.

Scary as they might be, _she_ certainly had no reason to be frightened of them, and so she stayed still, waiting for whatever move they would make. She didn't have to use much patience, before it came.

Still sneaking, the agents filed into the hallway just outside of her bedroom, before 003 started to sing "Happy Birthday". Some - James, David and Michael, to be precise - joined in, while 006 and 004 held their peace rather.

"Happy birthday!" Emma East deposited herself rather energically onto Alice's bed, leaving to the far heavier and stronger (but not half as quick) other double ohs and Alice's cousin to stand peacefully around the room after filing in through the door.

Alec, David and Michael were all holding gifts, as was Joanna West, and James had - knowing her habits better than anyone else - stepped up and removed her computer, putting it onto the bedside table before it came to any harm.

"How did you manage to break in here?" Q asked them as she accepted her first gift (a big blue jumper, as they always found her far too fragile for their liking), but her tone was light, merely curious rather than upset. "Some help from M and Bond," West replied evenly, "and quite a lot of help from the last Q". Alice smiled for herself at the mention, and even more so as she saw James' eyes soften at the reference, and where his head no doubt took him."You're happy for them, aren't you?" Michael Kent, 005, noted for her, though that particular story was before his time.

"I did promise her father that I would look out for Madeleine. Q - the old Q -" James corrected himself, "is good for her". "Well," the new Q noted, "I am just glad her dislike for too much action made my predecessor want to sign off from this job and instead took up work in their new division, so I must admit I really like Madeleine". "Despite not really having met the woman more than twice," Emma teased, and Q looked back and smiled, surrounded now by friends as good as family, and she was grateful for all the little turns which took her there.

"Yes," she agreed with her best friend, accepting a gift offered by her self-proclaimed big brother and just as self-proclaimed sister-in-law, feeling nothing but grateful, safe and loved in that moment. Life had made its many twists and turns, and she was _so happy_ with the way it had turned out.


	27. Epilogue

_I do not claim to own the James Bond franchise._

 _TapTap_

Life in the service of the nation wasn't always easy, wasn't always safe, and they desperately needed one another to manage, but the little ragtag family formed of five double ohs (or perhaps even six or seven) along with their Quartermaster and her cousin got on well despite, or perhaps because, of this.

It was true that double ohs' had a very short life expectancy, but between the great help of Alice and 002 never lasting beyond the first few months, averaging out the odds a little bit, life was still happy, warm and at least _relatively_ safe.

And they were well, all in their little pack.


End file.
